Ukraine crisis. News in brief. Thursday 13 April [Ukrainian sources]

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US Secretary of State consulted with Ukraine before the trip to Moscow.  Tillerson Putin and discussed the situation in Ukraine dotted, - Peskov.  "Russia's 8th veto on Syria means it feels fine in company of rogue states,".  Tillerson's visit to Moscow, US Ukraine confirmed the thesis that Russia can not be trusted.  Putin's Russia will repeat the fate of the USSR, Western analysts have explained the reasons for.

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Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin said that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson consulted with the Ukrainian side to the trip to Moscow .

It is reported with reference to ONLINE.UA UNIAN.

"First, let's talk now with the United States Secretary He consulted with us, when he was building his position you know the information about the call.." - Klimkin said.

He also said that he already knew about the first results Tillerson and Putin's meeting.

"I believe that his visit very clearly demonstrated not only in terms of applications, but in the sense of the logic which he expounded during the press conference I know the first results of the visit and non-public, but I will not talk about anything." - said the head Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

He hinted that Tillerson does not trust Russia and is on the side of Ukraine. "Our general thesis with all our friends and partners that a Russian can not, in principle, not to cooperate, nor even to talk on the basis of no confidence during the visit was clearly confirmed," - the minister added. Klimkin also said it plans to hold a telephone conversation "with the American side."

As reported Online.ua, President Donald Trump pleased with the result of negotiations Secretary Rex Tillerson, met in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergeem Lavrovym and President Vladimir Putin.

news.online.ua , Original in Russian / На русском

Representatives of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine said that they already know the first non-public results of the visit Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Russia

This was stated by Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, said " UNIAN ".

He noted that intends to conduct a telephone conversation with representatives of the US government. According to him, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson consulted with the Ukrainian party where "built his position."

"I believe that his visit (to Russia - Ed.) Very clearly demonstrated not only in terms of applications, but in the sense of logic, he taught at a press conference. I know the first results of the visit, non-public, but will not talk about everything "- said Klimkin.

He said the meeting also confirmed the thesis and joint Ukraine and its allies regarding the Russian authorities.

"Our joint thesis with all our friends and partners that Russia can not cooperate either in principle or even talk on the basis of no confidence during the visit clearly confirmed," - concluded Klimkin.

Recall, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a press conference after a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that in idnosyny US and Russia will not improve without the implementation of the "Minsk" .

Also  Tillerson suggested Russia peacefully resolve Assad

He also noted that the  United States can impose additional sanctions against Russia because of its intervention in the US presidential election 2016.

espreso.tv , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Russia apparently feels comfortable being surrounded by rogue countries.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin wrote on Twitter, Censor.NET reports.

Russia's 8th veto on Syria means Russia feels fine in the company of rogue states & backs war crimes and crimes against humanity. Deplorable

— Pavlo Klimkin (@PavloKlimkin) April 12, 2017

On Wednesday, April 12, Russia blocked the U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria.

The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday reviewed an updated draft resolution on the chemical attack in the Syrian city of Khan-Sheikhun. The document was prepared by the United Kingdom, the United States and France. The British Permanent Representative to the United Nations Matthew Rycroft said the draft resolution on Syria condemns the chemical attack and calls for full cooperation in investigation.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that in the course of which took place in President Vladimir Putin's meeting Wednesday with US Secretary of Rex Tillerson situation in Ukraine was not discussed in detail.

As reported Tsenzor.NET , reported by Interfax-Ukraine .

"Dotted - yes. A detailed discussion of Ukraine has not been," - Peskov said, answering a reporter's question whether the situation in Ukraine was discussed in detail during the meeting with Putin R.Tillersonom.

Recall Tillerson on Wednesday during his first held a number as US Secretary of State visit to the Russian capital meetings, including with Russian President Vladimir Putin and foreign Minister Sergeem Lavrovym. Among the main topics were discussed, including the situation in Syria, to the east of Ukraine, the nuclear missile threat from North Korea and other international challenges.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / на українській мові

Belarus goes against the grain by embracing Russian tongue

Russian has lost more ground than any other language over the past 20 years as newly independent former Soviet states have attempted to assert their linguistic sovereignty.

The fading influence of the tongue highlights the fading influence of Moscow amid efforts by Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, to reassert the former superpower’s importance on the world stage with its military interventions in Ukraine and Syria.

The use of Russian has retreated fastest in Kazakhstan, where in 2016 just 20.7 per cent of people said they typically spoke Russian at home, compared with 33.7 per cent in 1994, according to data from national censuses and the UN, collated by Euromonitor International, a research group........................

Access complete text of the editorial:  ft.com

At first glance, Russia's actions after the annexation of the Crimea in 2014 look like evidence of a resurgent power in the international system. The increase in military spending, unceremonious interference in the Middle East and crippling foreign policy - all this remind the world that Russia maintains its influence on the world stage.

However, the level of military activity during the Cold War and the violation of international law hide the fundamental problems that will impede the progress of Russia forward, writes Yakob Sharp, an intern Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Center for Brent Scowcroft on international security at the Atlantic Council in an article for the website Atlantic Council, translation which made ONLINE.UA.

Since the Second World War the country was hit by demographic problems, fluctuations in commodity prices and the sanctions have caused damage to the economy, and current trends in defense spending are unstable. Against the backdrop of the harsh economic reality of the illusion of revival of Russia can not support so long, and NATO leaders should take note of this.

Comprehensive NATO presence in the Baltic States and a more robust defense measures are necessary and proportionate steps towards the creation of a serious deterrent to protect the most vulnerable US allies in Russia's neighborhood.

Russia, however, is not such an existential threat for Europe, which was once the Soviet Union, and so do not need to treat it. Time is not on the side of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he can not be too long to ignore fundamental weaknesses in the socio-economic outlook of the Russian society. The construction of submarines and nuclear weapons will not restore the Russian economy, and, ultimately, could harm the progress made to restore the role of Russia in the world arena.

The inertial nature of demographic pressure makes it extremely difficult to solve the problem, but also makes it easier for countries to make predictions. Substantially all of the calculations, the projected increase in the population of Russia in the best case will be fixed. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia's population (despite the presence of more than 9 million immigrants) decreased annually until 2013.

The combination of low living standards, reducing the number of women between the ages of twenty to thirty years, and increased mortality have worsened the prospects for growth in Russia. According to the calculations of the Russian state statistics agency Rosstat, if the trend continues, over the next 35 years the population has decreased by 20%. This decrease was slightly suspended, and even to a small degree gave reverse in recent years, but completely change the situation in the long term it will be difficult.

The economic outlook for Russia shows the same bleak prospect, but there are some signs of slight changes. Compared with 3% negative growth of even a small rise of 1.2%, projected the Minister of Finance of Russia (as well as the World Bank) for the last two years - it is something. Moscow has made some adjustments to the item of expenditure, to reflect the current oil prices, and Standard & Poor's raised its credit rating to "stable".

But the Russian people is still in a difficult position. In 2016, a quarter of Russian companies to cut wages. Overall, the average salary in Russia decreased by 8% last year and 9.5% the year before.

Continue to create problems and imposed on Russian international sanctions, and energy prices have not recovered to its previous level. Despite the joy of some Russians elect Donald Trump, the US President, who has expressed a desire to improve relations with Russia and suggested possible at least partial removal of sanctions, the potential lifting of sanctions could lead to a speculative rush of capital, creating more uncertainty in an already devastated economy.

The deterioration of the economic downturn due to the Kremlin's spending on modernization and expansion of its military capabilities in the face of declining revenues and the depletion of reserves. At a recent meeting on the defense industry, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that "funding for the coming years has already adjourned, and this amount will not change." This statement is not entirely correct, because the defense budget will be reduced by 7%, but it says a lot when you consider that other federal departments will be a reduction of 10%.

So far, it seems, thanks to this plan, Putin has received praise at home and power abroad, but in the long term, this plan could put the Russian leader on the unstable soil. Russia has begun to use its "emergency reserve" (which is usually considered to be an emergency measure to address the economic slowdown) back in 2015, and a slight recovery of the economy is not enough to compensate for these disadvantages.

Continuation of such expenses in conjunction with the budget constraints may force Putin to make a politically risky budget adjustments. He may have been able to convince their fans, in order to ensure Russia's security and growth requires a small budgetary savings, but economic backwardness can not stand too long.

Continuation of such expenses in conjunction with the budget constraints may force Putin to make a politically risky budget adjustments. He may have been able to convince their fans, in order to ensure Russia's security and growth requires a small budgetary savings, but economic backwardness can not stand too long.

Even the conflict in Ukraine - was once a source of popularity among Russians - began to be harmful to morality and to emphasize the country's economic malaise.

However, it should not be underestimated Vladimira Putina, and Russia continues to be a threat. She is still one of the most powerful armed forces in the world, a huge stockpile of nuclear weapons and revived willingness to use their political strength to influence the international system.

Although a cursory analysis of the approval ratings and may show indecent popular leaders, Putin's power structure is more fragile than it seems at first glance. Financial stress will continue to put pressure on the state-dependent segments of the Russian population that have historically been the foundation of Putin's support.

It seems that Putin's Russia will not perish in Manichean collision in Fulda Gap (the concept of "Fulda Gap" was used in the military planning of NATO during the Cold War - this site was considered one of the most likely areas of invasion of Western Europe the forces of the Warsaw Pact - ONLINE.UA) as well as the Soviet Union, today's Russia will collapse under the weight of its own mismanagement and economic failures. Perhaps the story is really tends to repeat itself.

news.online.ua, Original in Russian / На русском

Russia is preparing to move the date of the 2018 election that is expected to hand President Vladimir Putin a new term from March 11 to March 18 -- the day Russia celebrates its seizure of Crimea from Ukraine.

The State Duma approved a bill on the date change on April 12 in the first of three votes on the issue in the lower house of parliament. It is certain to pass.

Russian law says that presidential elections are held on the second Sunday in March unless that is a working day, in which case the voting must be held a week earlier.

The authors of the bill said that March 11 was likely to be a working day after the March 8 International Women's Day holiday. But instead of holding the election a week earlier, they proposed March 18.

Observers suspect the Kremlin hopes holding the vote on March 18 will boost turnout and attract more votes for Putin because that was the date, in 2014, on which he signed a treaty that Moscow claims made the Crimean Peninsula part of Russia................

rferl.org